VSDCA cricket: Taylors Lakes signs Trent Waring for 2021-22

A fast bowler with Alex Hales on his list of victims has signed on with the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association outfit.

Trent Waring bends his back for Greenvale Kangaroos. Picture: Hamish Blair

Taylors Lakes has received a much-needed injection of experience with Trent Waring returning to his junior club to spearhead the bowling attack.

Waring has spent the past 13 summers with Premier Cricket outfit Greenvale Kangaroos, making 190 appearances in the state’s top competition, including 54 in the First XI.

The right-arm paceman’s most fruitful season at the Kangaroos came in 2016-17 as he collected 25 wickets at 22.76 apiece in the top team, while he also grabbed 22 wickets at 23.09 in 2015-16. Overall he claimed 227 victims at 26.01.

Waring was the last North Melbourne player left at Greenvale Reserve following the clubs’ merger in 2013.

He also scalped the big-hitting Alex Hales, who has represented England in all three formats, in a match in 2016.

Waring has maintained a link with the Lions throughout his Premier Cricket career, steering the club’s John Craig Shield under-15 side in recent seasons.

He has taken on a role as an assistant/bowling coach at the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association outfit and is set to take the new ball next summer.

“It’s good to have one of our homegrown boys to come back and lead the attack,” Taylors Lakes president Rob Arnold said.

“Trent has returned to Taylors Lakes on numerous occasions throughout the years, and given us his advice and experience.

“Being the schoolteacher that he is, he enjoys passing on knowledge and information. That’s in his make up.”

After securing a breakthrough finals berth in 2019-20, Taylors Lakes endured a testing season in the North-West group, finishing without a victory from 13 games.

But Arnold said the Lions were confident of rebounding and would bolster their stocks in coming months.

“Our First XI really were a bit stiff. They were in winning positions in five matches … and possibly could have come away with five wins,” he said.

“It was just due to the inexperience of the young playing group that we had that we couldn’t get over the line.”

Left-armer Hoa Lai delivered an outstanding campaign, returning 26 wickets at 12.27.

He only went wicketless in one game, underlining his consistency, as he was crowned club champion.

“He fully deserved every accolade that came his way.” Arnold said.

“He’s in his mid-20s now, but he’s been a work in progress, always been dedicated to Taylors Lakes and enjoys his cricket.

“This was maybe the second year he’s taken it seriously and really put the extra effort in.

“You get out of it what you put in.”